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"Seriously, dude, get your shit together This affects other people too, you know!" Lane’s voice was full of anger
"Oh, come on How does this affect you?" Jack sneered
"You think these jobs just roll in? You not signing means my ass could be out of a job You ever think about that?"
"No way You can’t put that on lass off the patio table
Lane followed, talking to his back as Jack drained his whiskey "I can put that on you, and I will put that on you if you’re the reason this et made If you think you can walk away fro everyone else, you’re insane!"
By now Holly and Michael were perched on the back of the couch in the living rooh the other set of French doors as Jack and Lane continued to go at it in the backyard I wanted to stop this, I should stop this, but I had no idea things had gotten so bad with the Time sequel that Lane even knew Why didn’t I know about this? Why wasn’t Jack talking to ht any further because the next thing I knew, Jack turned around to face Lane and saw all of us watching
"Enough!" he shouted The whiskey glass he’d been holding no across the backyard and hit the side of the house, shattering into a thousand pieces across the patio I gasped, and then
Quiet
The quiet pressed in on all sides, the pressure building in uely aware that Michael started to get up from the couch, but Holly held hi Lane back away fro his head I could still feel Nick’s hand on ht
What I was coht of Jack, barely standing and pale, with splotches of red anger across his cheeks Shaking His eyes searched for mine, and when he found h the quiet ca for Mabel--upbeat and bouncy and co reht was about, was supposed to be about
"Out," I breathed, so quietly that I could barely hear it "All of you, out please" I did not take ht there"
Nick squeezedaway I heard Holly and Michael discussing quietly whether one of theone by now My eyes never left Jack I could hearroo across the entire West Coast The West Coast would have to wait I had so, Jack I’ve tried to be understanding I’ve tried to back off I’ve tried to ignore what’s going on, tried to not be a nagging girlfriend"
I walked in a circle around hier in check as best I could To his credit, he letabout where you were and what you were doing I’ve let you change the subject I’ve pretended things were fine and dandy I’ve even fked you when I should have been talking to you" I stopped in front of him and looked him square in the eye "But noon this entire planet, but this shit ends now You either talk toon--"
"Or what?" he challenged, speaking for the first ti this so difficult? Why can’t you talk toon for the Time sequel? Why didn’t you talk tohave to be such a big deal? Christ, Grace, I know you’re pissed I know you’re disappointed You think I don’t know everyone’s talking aboutto figure out how to getwhat a movie star is supposed to do? Well, fk that I’m not a puppet everyone can just play with!" Finally so fire
"Is that what you think we’re doing? We’re worried! All your friends are worried--"
"Oh, sure They’re worried Let me tell you what they’re worried about Lane’s worried about his next job, Holly’s worried about losing her paycheck, and you’re too busy worrying aboutconnected to oddamned minute! You think Holly is only worried about a paycheck? She has never done anything but help you and think about your career She’slike that idiot Ada er and frustration and concern that had been percolating forall over the patio
Jack seethed, his entire body tense, his jaw clenched "If you could see this clearly you would see that--"
"Don’t you dare tellInterrupting Me," he o anywhere without being recognized I can’t go to the grocery store without a clerk telling The National Enquirer what kind of frozen pizza I like I’m scared to death to put the top down and drive around town because Irun off the road by vultures who carea picture of irlfriend than they do about safety, and I can’t have a fking drink after a long day of dealing with all of that bullshit without everyone telling s! This is it, Grace This iswith it, okay?" He ell and truly yelling now too
"Jack, love, if that was it, I could understand" I crossed the distance between us and put edwith this That’s why I’ black again, re me of when he’d come in earlier
"Drinks at the end of the day, my ass What the hell were you on today?" I saw the shame cross his features for just a moment, and I had my answer "I won’t watch you do this," I whispered, , and I watched as his eyes hardened, even toh theas he threw his things into his duffel bag, then came back outside My show continued to play this entire ti a surreal soundtrack to so back to the desert" He stood in the doorith his bag over his shoulder, looking i "I’ll call you when I can"
When he can? Wait, what’s happening here?
"What do you o Let’s talk about this"
"This is clearly not a place I can be right now Besides, I gotta go er in his voice was so thick it broke o, a different backyard, but still Jack andI could help hiht now He didn’t need anyone My throat lumped "I love you, Jack"
He nodded and smiled a small smile "I’ll call you"
And then he left And I had to let hi show still playing in the background, I realized that was the first tiht, and by the ti, the shoas literally an overnight success And when I say woke up the nexta das, I punched my pillow, and then I sobbed some more But then I focused on me